Backway to Rainbow Bridge

This remote route follows centuries-old Navajo trading paths across the slickrock wilderness of northern Arizona, demanding advanced navigation skills through unmarked sandstone terrain toward Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The trail splits from Highway 98 near Inscription House, immediately plunging into technical slickrock sections where route-finding becomes critical and one wrong turn can strand you in a maze of identical canyons. Key waypoints include Owl Creek crossing and the final descent to Bridge Creek, where the massive 290-foot span of Rainbow Bridge emerges from the Navajo sandstone like something from another planet.

This is expert-level territory requiring rock sliders, aggressive tires, and solid navigation equipment – GPS is mandatory as cairns are sparse and weather can erase tire tracks overnight. Navajo Nation permits required, and respect for sacred sites is non-negotiable. Spring and fall offer the best conditions, though summer heat makes this borderline dangerous. Carry multiple days of water and be prepared for self-recovery. The payoff is standing beneath one of the natural world’s most impressive formations with maybe a handful of other souls who earned their way there.